Tennis racket



Ofct. 30,1923. mmmz W. T. ALDRICH TENNIS RACKET Fi led July 8, 1922 Ty ts-x? jnv eniors m2 Ziam HZ Aldrich,

Patented 0st. 30, 1923.

use STATE NT @HC E o WILLIAM TYLER ALDRICH, OF CHICOPEE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO A. G, SPALD- ING & BROS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.,

A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

TENNIS RACKET.

Application filed Inly 8,

. specification.

In the use of tennis rackets as heretofore manufactured, I have found that in the use thereof in play, there is an openingup of the grain of the frame adjacent the throat and a breaking down of the varnish finish.

which induces a general process of deterioration. a I have discovered that the reason for this is that there is a pulling apart of the grain of the wood in the curved portions adjacent the throat because of the stretch of the outside half or portion of the stock as the bends are formed.

The present invention aims to avoid this objection and to provide a reinforcement by which not only Wlll the proper strength and permanency to the throat portions of the bow be restored at the point where the frame needs greatest strength, but the glued points adjacent the throat will receive further protection and the flexibility of the racket will be thrown further down the handle or into the throat piece, which is considered desirable.

The invention includes the novel features of construction and combination of parts hereinafter described and defined by the appended claims.

A racket constructed in accordance with my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawimgs in which?- Figure l is a plan view of a complete racket.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the throatthe full length'of the handle, but I prefer to use a separate filler strip as indicated at 1922. Serial No. 573,524.

2. The numeral 4 designates a throat piece reinforcing lamination extending across the exposed inner edge of the wedge piece and the inner adjacent portions of the bow, and glued thereto. The numerals 5, 5 indicate veneer facing laminations which are glued to and overlap the faces of the throat piece 3, bow extensions 1 and reinforcing laminations 4 on opposite faces of the racket. The construction thus far disclosed 'is substantially that included in a previous application filed by me the fifth day of May, 1921, Serial No. 468,307. In the present construction, however, the veneer facing laminations 5 are countersunk in the parts previously referred to, or, in other words, the throat and throat reinforcmg laminations are cut away or rebated to an amount equal to the thickness, ofthe said laminations 5 so that the outside faces of. the latter will be flush with the side fraces of the bow. 6 designates are shaped reinforcing members in the shape of wood laminations bent to conform to the shape of the bow adjacent the throat, the inner faces of which are glued to the respective faces .of the bow parts, throat piece and throat lamination. v

By thus covering the outer faces of the bow with reinforcing laminations, the parts of the bow adjacent to the throat are strengthened at the point where great strength is needed, the. grain of the bow at this point is protected from opening up to the Weather, the glued joints are protected and the reinforcing strips tend to hold the racket true to its regular form. Furthermore, the rebating of the handle extensions of the bow to receive the facing laminations 5, coupled with the stiffening of the portions of the bow adjacent the rebates by the binding strips, tends to throw the flexibility of the racketfurther down into the handle, or into the throat proper, which I have found is a desirable feature in use. In addition to this, the reinforcing laminations 6 increase the attractiveness of the racket in giving it the appearance of a perfect oval and the suggestion of the great strength, which it in fact possesses.

Having thus described my lnvention, what I claim 1s: I

. 1. In a tennis racket a bow substantially oval in shape and having handle extensions, a throat piece between said extensions,

iece handle extensions veneer laminations overlying said handle exthe adjacent bow portions, and secured thereto.

In a tennis racket, a bow substantially oval in shape, and having handle extensions, a throat piece of wood lying between said extensions and glued thereto, and having the grain thereof extending lengthwise ot' the racket, a wood lamination overlying the inner. edge of the throat piece and adjacent portions of the bow glued thereto, veneerlfacing laminations overlying said throat piece, handle extensions and wood lamination and countersunk therein, and glued thereto, and narrow arc-shaped strips of Wood overlying the inner edges of said facing laminations and adjacent bow portions.

3. In a tennis racket, a bow substantially oval in shape and having handle extensions, a throat piece of Wood lying betweensaid extensions and glued. thereto and having the grain thereof extending lengthwise of the racket, a wood: lamination overlying the inner ed 'e of the throat piece and adjacent portions of the bow glued thereto and having tapered ends merging into the inner faces of the bow portions, veneer facing laminations overlying said throat piece, handle extensions and wood lamination and countersunk therein and glued thereto and narrow arc-shaped strips of wood overlying the inner edges of said facing laminations and adjacent how portions, said arc-shaped strips having convex outer faces and tapered ends merging into the side faces of the bow portions. X V

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature.

WILLIAM TYLER. ALDRICH. 

